I'm Cathy, a former kindergarten teacher with a passion for early learners. Providing our earliest learners with tools, instead of excuses, can empower these students with success! I also LOVE teacher training and providing meaning professional development that can be used in classrooms immediately.

Workshops

Kindergarten Writing is often underestimated in importance and in content. This workshop looks at at comprehensive writing program for kindergartners. Whole groups lessons, small group interventions, and independent writing activities will give teachers ideas to start with their class the next day.

This workshop focuses on the best time of the day...Center Time. Students can have independent practice that is meaningful and purposeful. Teachers can have time for guided reading. It's a win-win for everyone.

Vocabulary can be a road block for emergent readers, but it doesn't have to be that way. This workshop looks at the several techniques and strategies for vocabulary lessons and discussions.

Using Jan Richardson's Pre-A Reading Level is genius! She has created a fail-safe way to ensure our newest readers are ready and move forward quickly. This workshop breaks down the Pre-A level for all teachers and makes the program not only useful, but non-negotiable.

Read Alouds should be the most exciting part of the day. Using high quality children's literature, teachers can entertain and engage students in lessons and they don't even realize they are learning. Making connections, drawing conclusions, and more are just part of their daily activities.

Running Records can be a valuable addition to your guided reading routine, but understanding all that running records can add to your lessons and your assessment of the reader will help teachers get the most from this tool. This workshop explores the method for achieving quality running records, analyzing the running records with the ever elusive MSV and knowing what to do with the information you have.

This was a Keynote Presentation for the New River Valley Reading Council and Radford University School of Teacher Education and Leadership Fall Conference. I addressed teaching in today's classroom through the eye's of a soccer mom. Teaching and Soccer? Yep, you wouldn't believe the similarities! As a keynote, I will discuss how you can make a commitment to your classroom and build students for tomorrow.